- Place
- Vilnius City Municipality
- Region
- Vilnius
- Type
- 2019 public sculpture and contemporary Užupis legend
- Address
- on the fence by Polocko g. 2; Google Maps labels Polocko g. 4, Vilnius
- Coordinates
- 54.68126, 25.30005
- Visit duration
- 5-15 minutes; 45-90 minutes with an Užupis art and history walk
- Best time
- morning or late afternoon, when Polocko Street has less traffic and softer light
Užupio katinas, Fear-removing cat, Cat in Užupis
A small sculpture that is easy to miss
Užupis Cat is not a monument standing on the ground or in the centre of a square. The small bronze figure perches on an ornamental iron fence on Polocko Street, so look around eye level. Its rounded body, raised head, prominent tail, and earring immediately signal an artwork designed for a close encounter rather than monumental distance.
Two neighbouring street numbers appear in published information. Vilnius visitor material and the municipal Unseen Vilnius project associate the sculpture with the fence by Polocko g. 2, while the exact Google Maps listing gives Polocko g. 4 and coordinates 54.6812566, 25.3000524. In practice, use the sculpture's own listing and scan the street fences rather than searching for a separate entrance.
Who created Užupis Cat and when
The sculpture was installed in 2019. Artist Jonas Gelčys created it at the initiative of jeweller Viktorija Orkinė. The earring reveals that origin: it is not a random accessory but a link between jewellery and the public art of Užupis.
The work does not commemorate a historical person. It was intended to make people look more closely at the artists' and craftspeople's district and to create a new local character. That role fits the contemporary Užupis described by VLE, where galleries, installations, creative projects, and community celebrations have gathered since the late twentieth century.
Touching the ear is a contemporary legend
The sculpture arrived with a story that scratching the earring-wearing ear can remove fear, and some versions also promise that wishes will come true. This is a playful instruction for interacting with the artwork and a new urban legend, not an ancient Užupis belief or a proven psychological effect.
The cat is meaningfully linked with the Užupis Constitution's idea that a cat need not love its owner but should help in a difficult moment. Stories also recall a former pet market nearby, though that detail is better treated as district memory rather than the historical basis of the 2019 artwork.
Visitors may touch the ear gently because interaction was part of the concept. Do not climb the fence, sit on the cat, or rub it forcefully. The polished bronze records many hands, and a restrained gesture preserves the work for others.
A free stop on an Užupis walk
The cat stands in a public street, with no ticket, gate, or opening hours. It can be visited at any time, although daylight makes small details easier to see and gives safer space beside fairly busy Polocko Street. The pavement can be narrow and uneven, so groups should not block it.
A photograph takes only a few minutes, but the cat works best as one stop on a route. Continue to the Užupis Angel and Constitution plaques, descend toward the Art Incubator and the Vilnia, or follow Polocko Street toward Bernardine Cemetery.
On 27 July 2026, the exact Užupio Katinas Google Maps listing showed 4.8 out of 5 from about 290 reviews. This is the rating of the individual sculpture, not the entire Užupis district, and the figures change.
